Akron Zips - NCAA Football Odds, Lines & Betting

The Zips were 5-7 in 2006, which was good for third in the MAC East.  Coach J.D. Brookhart’s first priority in 2007 will be to find a replacement for quarterback Luke Getsy, who took all but one of Akron’s snaps under center last season.  Carlton Jackson will get the first crack at the job, and he can hurt teams either through the air or on the ground. 

Running back Dennis Kennedy (226 attempts, 914 yards, 9 TD) will also have an increased presence in the offense while Jackson gets acclimated to the first team, and he usually gets better as the game wears on.  The departure of David Harvey, who grabbed 43 passes and scored 10 touchdowns in 2006, also stings. He left the team for personal reasons in the spring. Up front, there are four new starters and this group must gel quickly if Akron is to improve on its 93rd-place ranking in total offense. Eight players return on the defensive side, and this was the strength of the team in 2006, coming in at 44th in total defense.  Linebackers John Mackey (88 tackles) and Kevin Grant (87 tackles) will be the keys to this group, which is also very deep.  The secondary is also in good hands with Andre Jones (77 tackles, one interception) and Brandon Anderson (27 tackles, one interception), but the graduation of Reggie Corner is a blow.  Brookhart will also want to boost his team’s punt-return unit, which was 118th in the country in 2006. 

The Zips go to Ohio State in their second game, but manage to get Kent State, Ohio, and Central Michigan all at home.  The quarterback position could be a headache to Brookhart, and the offensive line is weak. That being said, the defense should be good enough to get Akron to .500 in 2007.

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